World Travel’s Top 10 Holiday Villas

Are holiday villas a thing of the past? We don’t think so. Nothing beats a home-away-from home, whether it’s a family holiday or a trip with friends. To prove our point, we’ve handpicked world travel’s top ten holiday villas. And this time we’re not restricting ourselves to self-catering breaks. Here you’ll find luxury escapes with private chefs, concierges, infinity pools, and more across the globe. Read on to discover our favourites.

St Lucia’s beautiful holiday villas allow you to get the most out of your Caribbean escape.

The perfect choice for large families seeking a Caribbean holiday is the Five Bedroom Estate Villa at Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort. This beauty sleeps up to eleven guests, and includes a full-size private pool, kitchen, private parking space and the services of a dedicated chef. If having a personal chef cooking your meals isn’t enough, perhaps the panoramic ocean views is – this villa has a unique cliffside setting.

HOLIDAY VILLA HIGHLIGHT: Uninterrupted views of the Caribbean Sea. We spent more time watching this than the plasma TV.

The famous Ritz-Carlton luxury in a breathtaking location. It’s hard to beat these holiday villas.

This luxury Thailand holiday hotspot comes complete with signature Ritz glitz: and the Ultimate Pool Villa offers even more, including panoramic Gulf of Thailand vistas, a dramatic clifftop setting and a colossal terrace with enough room for a dining area, sun loungers and a separate living area.

HOLIDAY VILLA HIGHLIGHT: The clifftop location straight from a Bond film made us feel like elusive international icons.

These ultra-private holiday villas offer the Middle East at its finest.

Best described as an oasis, this villa offers guests a personal double spa suite, a cushioned living area and a private wine cellar. Oh, and there’s a private infinity-edge pool, private sun lounge and outdoor dining area and all the mod-cons to make sure your villa holiday is a breeze. That means WiFi, TV, and more. The Middle East knows how to do luxury, as you’ll find out if you book this villa on your next holiday to Oman.

HOLIDAY VILLA HIGHLIGHT: Didn’t we mention? This villa has its own private wine cellar.

Villa? More like a mansion. This self-catering home is one of our favourite Disney-area holiday villas.

Boasting over 23800 square feet of space, eight bedrooms, a private pool and a golf course onsite, this is our top villa pick for Disney holidays. It possesses all the comforts of home and more – plus it’s only a ten minute drive from the Disney parks. We can’t think of a better place to stay on a family getaway.

What more could you ask for on your next villa holiday to Halkidiki? Eagles Villas high-end Residential 2 Bedroom Pool Villas with Private Garden offers even more than its name suggests, including sea, sunrise and sunset views; intimate bedrooms, a private infinity pool and glorious views of Halkidiki. There’s no better place to stroll through your own private garden.

HOLIDAY VILLA HIGHLIGHT: The sleek designs whisked us to a romantic time long forgotten.

Villa Qunang is one of Lombok’s most exclusive escapes. These Lombok getaways surround their guests with tropical gardens within a large private area on Mangsit hill. Prepare for spectacular views across to Bali , a nine metre overflow infinity-edge pool and more. There’s even an upstairs lounge area to soak in the magnificent coastal views. This villa has everything you could ask for on your Indonesia holiday.

The Two Bedroom Beach Pool Villa gives you the ultimate privacy on your next desert-island break, including a pool, a beach, and breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf or lagoon, 159 square metres of indoor living space and a huge 7- square metre terrace. Abu Dhabi holidays are famed for their decadence, and staying this villa break is no exception. Have you ever seen a beach as perfect as this before?

HOLIDAY VILLA HIGHLIGHT: One of the world’s most pristine beaches was right on our doorstep.

The Caribbean has never been so luxurious with Tobago’s signature holiday villas.

This Tobago holiday getaway was described by Conde Nast as “One of the best resorts in the world”, and the French colonial styled accommodation lives up to its name. Think sundeck, infinity pool, large terraces and more. Oh, and there’s a personal housekeeper and professional chef options to cater to your culinary needs too.

All the excitement of an African safari with a Disney twist. These holiday villas are a must for animal lovers.

Disney’s hallmark resort has a few villas of its own in Kidani Village. Designed in the style of an African lodge, these luxury options sit on the edge of a 21-acre safari park with free-roaming animals just moments away. Plus there’s a nearby zero-depth entry pool with waterslide, a state-of-the-art gym and jogging trails on your doorstep. There’s no better place to get in touch with your wild side on your next Florida holiday.

HOLIDAY VILLA HIGHLIGHT: We woke up to giraffes near our front door. How cool is that?

Water Villas bring you typical Maldivian splendour over the sparkling Indian Ocean. These thatched-roof getaways have direct lagoon access, expansive private outdoor areas, a plunge pool, outdoor shower and a 42 inch plasma screen TV. All this set within an unrivalled Indian Ocean setting. Thanks to it’s luxurious amenities and breathtaking settings, this collection nabs top place in our top ten holiday villas selection.